Lee Share has oddly claimed that Gabriel Jesus hasn’t got the goals that were expected of him at Arsenal following his summer transfer, as he told Stadium Astro.
The Manchester United legend was praising Jesus for everything else he has brought to the table in north London, but he seemingly felt more is needed in the goals department.
After eight Premier League games, Jesus has scored five Premier League goals and supplied three assists for Mikel Arteta’s side – Harry Kane, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Erling Haaland are the trio ahead of him.
That’s pretty good going for the player and, at the rate he is going at, he should hit 15+ league goals easily, not forgetting what he provides in the creative department.
It’s not quite the extraordinary numbers Erling Haaland is hitting – he has 14 goals from eight matches – but Manchester City’s new star is a freak of nature.
Nonetheless, when asked whether Arsenal can sustain their current challenge at the top, Sharpe discussed the squad depth available to Arteta.
“Arsenal have set themselves a standard now, which is really good,” said Sharpe. “I think the question with Arsenal has always been ‘do they die off towards the end of the season?’ ‘Have they got enough strength in depth?’
“We look at Partey. I think Partey was a rock against Tottenham. If he gets injured, have they got someone to replace him and do the role that he’s playing?
“Jesus, I know he’s not got the goals we were are expecting him to score and we are expecting him to get more, but I think his workrate off the ball, and the standards he sets, if he can stay fit, then that’s another one.
“I just wonder if Arsenal have got this fade off towards the end of the season and whether they have got enough strength in depth with the squad, whether they can keep going with the number of games, with the World Cup as well, because it’s going to pile up.”
JESUS GOING GREAT GUNS
When Jesus first joined Arsenal, there were big expectations on his shoulders and how he was possibly going to be the game-changer up top.
At times, fans can get carried away with a signing and lift that individual up to much higher heights than they should.
That was happening with Jesus, and from the get-go, starting from pre-season, he has delivered.
It’s a credit to the player for, first of all dealing with the pressure and then lifting everyone around him.
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